London court says Proactive can pursue Rooney

Published Feb. 7, 2011 12:52 p.m. ET

foxsports

Wayne Rooney could still have to pay a 4.3 million-pound ($6.9 million) compensation claim by his agent's former management company following a London court judgment.

Manchester Mercantile Court ruled last year that Proactive was not entitled to commission related to multimillion-pound deals brokered by the firm on the England striker's behalf.

But Lord Justice Alan Ward at London's Court of Appeal says Proactive's arguments were valid and that ''the mere fact that this was a claim for millions of pounds is almost in itself a compelling reason to give permission to appeal'' against the Manchester ruling.

The Manchester United player stopped paying Proactive after agent Paul Stretford quit in 2008, taking the firm's client with him.